Accessibility As Mercy: How Laylatul Qadr Guides Towards Disability Justice

Ramadan is considered the month of fasting, but many Muslims are unable to fast due to health reasons. Allah has therefore exempted them from fasting as an act of mercy. Those exempted are encouraged to engage in other acts of worship that are manageable for them.

The Qur’an, after all, reveals that:

“Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear…” [Surah al-Baqarah; 2:286]

This exemption—and the redirection towards other acts of worship according to one’s health circumstance—already conveys that accessibility is a form of mercy. It lays the foundation for disability justice by ensuring that those with disabilities are included in Ramadan through manageable acts of worship. Fasting is one act of worship, but it is not the only accepted act of worship.

We can further understand how Ramadan guides us towards disability justice, especially in terms of accessibility as mercy, through Laylatul Qadr.

Laylatul Qadr—Multiplying Reward Through Mercy

Laylatul Qadr, the Night of Power, multiplies even the smallest acts of worship as a form of mercy. These acts can include praying, giving charity, reading the Qur’an, showing kindness, and any form of remembrance of Allah .

The Qur’an reveals that:

“The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months” [Surah Al-Qadr; 97:3]

The fact that it multiplies even the smallest acts of worship—to the extent that it is better than a thousand months of worship—demonstrates that mercy and justice ensure everyone can partake in divine reward. No one is excluded from participation. Disability justice, as defined by contemporary scholars, insists that justice means giving people with disabilities the right to participate fully in society. It is the recognition of dignity through ensuring inclusion facilitated by accommodation. Laylatul Qadr models this by preventing believers from being excluded from magnified reward.

Night-Time Accessibility and Divine Accommodation

It is also significant that Laylatul Qadr occurs at night rather than during the day. Muslims fast only during daylight hours, and fasting is not counted among the acts of worship specific to Laylatul Qadr. This timing ensures that those unable to fast are not deprived of reward for fasting during Laylatul Qadr. Instead, they stand on equal footing, and are able to attain maximum reward through their sincere efforts in other acts of worship. Muslims are also not rewarded based on the quantity of worship but on the sincerity of striving. This makes Laylatul Qadr inherently accessible as a form of mercy.

It is through understanding the purpose behind Laylatul Qadr, and why Allah has decreed it to be better than a thousand months, that we can further see the extent to which Laylatul Qadr is a guide towards disability justice.

According to the tafsir on why Laylatul Qadr is better than a thousand nights, Ibn Kathir notes that the Prophet Muhammad was shown the lifespans of earlier nations that lived for centuries. He, therefore, worried that his Ummah—with shorter life spans—would not be able to match their deeds. Allah , in response, gifted Laylatul Qadr for his nation, so that one night’s worth of worship equates to a thousand months.

This divine gift demonstrates accessibility as mercy and accommodation at the highest level. Allah adjusted the scale of reward to ensure equity for a community with shorter lifespans. Accessibility here means accommodating out of mercy so that everyone can participate fully and fairly. This is the essence of disability justice: providing accommodations out of mercy to ensure equitable participation.

Short Supplication as Accessibility

It is not only the purpose behind Laylatul Qadr, its timing, or its forms of worship, but also the supplication encouraged on this night that guides us further in understanding accessibility as mercy and disability justice.

The Prophet taught Aisha a simple—yet important du’a—for Laylatul Qadr that all believers are encouraged to recite:

              “Allahumma innaka ‘afuwwun tuhibbul-‘afwa fa‘fu ‘anni”  

“O Allah, You are Most Forgiving, and You love forgiveness; so forgive me.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhi]

This short accessible supplication shows that minimal effort—in the form of a short supplication—can carry significant weight. Accessibility in worship is, therefore, not about doing less. It is rather ensuring that every believer has a way to connect with Allah and seek His Mercy.

Year-Round Accessibility as a form of Mercy and Disability Justice

Laylatul Qadr may be a single night, but its lessons on accessibility as mercy should be incorporated throughout the year. Disability should never be a reason to discourage someone from attending prayers at the mosque or studying Islam.

l human beings have spiritual needs, including those with disabilities. Muslims with disabilities must be accommodated to learn, grow, participate, and worship just like everyone else. This is not only their spiritual need but also their dignified human right.

Just as Allah adjusted the chance to seek reward due to our shorter lives, communities must adjust structures for believers with disabilities. Accessibility is a year-round obligation. Justice means ensuring that every believer is given the space to participate—whether through prayer, du‘a, reading the Qur’an, or acts of kindness. This space extends beyond homes and mosques to the wider community.

Laylatul Qadr is a night that multiplies reward to compensate for human limitations. Disability justice prioritizes mercy to be embedded within societal structures as a form of mercy. Just as Allah magnifies reward for shorter lifespans, and places the greatest blessing at night when fasting is not required, we must magnify opportunities for Muslims with disabilities. Accessibility is not simply an act of mercy—it is justice and empowerment that is meant to be facilitated throughout Ramadan and beyond.

Related:

– Ramadan, Disability, And Emergency Preparedness: How The Month Of Mercy Can Prepare Us Before Communal Calamity

– [Podcast] Muslims and Disability: A Way Forward | Sa’diyyah Nesar